|
Cut
animal fats to dodge dioxin
July 24, 03
Suzanne Havala Hobbs
We
count on our food to give us what we need
for good health – vitamins,
minerals, fiber, and other
health-supporting substances.
But environmental contaminants can also
hitch a ride into our bodies in the foods
we eat.
One of those is dioxin.
The amount of dioxin in the environment
is substantially less than pollution
levels of 30 years ago. But dioxins and
dioxin-like compounds linger a long time
in the soil, air, and water.
They accumulate in the body fat of
animals and people. The farther up the
food chain, the higher the
concentrations.
The greatest exposure to dioxins for
humans comes from eating meat, poultry,
fatty fish, eggs, whole milk and other
high-fat dairy products.
Animal fat is a dioxin reservoir. After
you eat it, your own fat becomes the
storehouse.
Health problems linked to exposure
include skin damage, cancer, non-insulin
dependent diabetes in adults, damage to
the neurological function and immune
system of infants, and endocrine
problems.
Girls and women are especially
vulnerable, since dioxins and dioxin-like
compounds accumulate and are stored in
their bodies for years before they have
children, later to be passed to their
babies through the placenta and breast
milk.
The Institute of Medicine this month
issued a report outlining recommendations
for reducing the public’s exposure.
One high-priority strategy: policy
changes in government-run food programs,
including the National School Lunch
Program, to make it easier for girls and
young women, particularly, to get skim
and low-fat milk in lieu of whole milk,
as well as alternatives to high-fat meats
and cheeses.
Other recommendations echo existing
recommendations for overall good health:
* Cut back on animal fats. Meat eaters
should choose only lean cuts. Remove skin
from chicken before cooking. Since fat
isn’t easily removed from fish, and
fatty fish are good sources of heart
healthy omega-3 fatty acids, the
committee did not recommend reducing fish
intake below the current level of two
servings per week.
* Dairy users should choose reduced-fat
products. Nonfat is always best.
* Wash fruits and vegetables before
eating to remove soil that may be
clinging to them. Dioxins on produce are
concentrated on the peels or surfaces of
the food. Soak, rinse in running water,
and peel, where appropriate.
An exact measure of the amount of dioxins
present in specific foods is not
available, because the test is very
expensive to perform.
The bottom line: This news is further
validation of what you know already know
to do. Eat your fruits and veggies (but
wash them first). And, consider reducing
your dependence on animal products,
especially those that are high in fat.
To view the IOM report online, go to
http://www.iom.edu/report.asp?id=13097.
Update: Health claims on foods
I wrote in an earlier column about plans
by the government to give new freedom to
food manufacturers to make health claims
about their products. The Food and Drug
Administration has announced its
guidelines for the new policy.
Beginning in September, food companies
will be allowed to make claims following
a new rating scale of A, B, C, and D,
depending upon the degree to which
science supports the claims. For example,
a claim rated "A" means that
there is "significant scientific
agreement" to support the label
claim, while a claim rated "D"
means there is "little scientific
evidence."
Previously, only health claims that met
the "A" standard were allowed.
The new policy will create new marketing
opportunities for food companies. But the
result likely will be more confusion
among consumers concerning what foods
actually are good for them.
|
